Teodoro, Brawner lauded for standing up to China

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the Chinese military’s constant bullying in the West Philippine Sea, a lawmaker commended Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. “for standing up to China” and for calling out fake news demonizing the Philippines.

According to Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, Teodoro and Brawner successfully called the world’s attention towards China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea during the recent Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

Rodriguez urged the government to take measures to counter Chinese propaganda, and asked the public to be wary of fake news maligning the Philippines’ position on West Philippine Sea issues.

“They are peddling false narratives on the West Philippine Sea, our government and our officials,” Rodriguez said in a statement.

While in Singapore, two Chinese “pretend journalists” from “Media Unlocked,” which is run by state-owned China Daily, tried to set up Teodoro and Brawner during an ambush interview. Brawner said he did not answer the interviewers as he was already late for a bilateral meeting, but Teodoro obliged although the pair was being rude.

Earlier, Teodoro publicly called out China for failing to send an official representative to the defense summit.